Warsaw's Christmas lights, 2019-20

The gloomiest time of year made bright; the Christmas illuminations were switched on at the weekend and will be lighting Warsaw, making a difference to our samopoczucie. The 'Royal route' (Trakt krolewski) along Nowy Świat and Krakowskie Przedmieście to the Old Town, is traffic-free every weekend; with the crowds of sightseers strolling up and down, there's the feeling of this is what cities could look like if only they got rid of cars (and kept the buses to the main thoroughfares). It was a lovely feeling walking in the middle of the road!

Below: looking south from the junction of Nowy Świat and ulica Świętokrzyska

Below: from the steps of Świętego Krzyża (Holy Cross) church - where Chopin's heart is interred - looking towards the statue of Copernicus. It was from here, on 2 December 1943, that my father witnessed the Germans machine-gunning to death 34 Polish prisoners taken out of the back of a truck on Nowy Świat.

Unlike the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, a gift to the people of Britain from the people of Oslo as a token of gratitude for British support to Norway in WW2, which is a real tree some 20 metres high, the 27m-tall one (below) on Plac Zamkowy is artificial, still it draws the crowds.

Below: a favourite with the children - the train followed by wagons of presents. There are two of these. One, on Pl. Herberta Hoovera, and one here, in Mariensztat. Tip for parents - this one is far less overrun, no queues to get on it.

Below: on the corner of ul. Piękna and Al. Ujazdowskie, stands this peacock, a reference to the ornately plumaged denizens of nearby Łazienki park.

Below: my personal favourite is back - a Jelcz 272 'Ogórek' ('gherkin'), as used by Warsaw's public transport in the 1960s and '70s.

Below: outside the premier's offices, Al. Ujazdowskie opposite Łazienki park looking south.

Below: outside my offices, ul. Świętokrzyska looking west.

The Christmas lights will be with us until early February.

Warsaw Christmas lights 2017-18

Warsaw Christmas lights 2016-17

Warsaw Christmas lights 2008-09

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